During a Los Angeles hearing on Monday, prosecutors provided a detailed account of the final night of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, revealing that her phone went silent after she arrived at the home of singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke.
Final Texts and Alleged Murder
Text messages shown in court indicated that shortly after 10am on 23 April 2025, Hernandez sent her last text to Burke: “girly pop i’m almost there open ur door if ur home.” She had arrived in an Uber that Burke had sent to pick her up. Prosecutors allege that Burke stabbed Hernandez to death when she entered his Hollywood home.
The night before, the two argued via text about Burke's relationship with another woman. Hernandez sent an angry and profane message, threatening to tell her father lies about him and stating, “i will end ur career and ur life.”
Court Proceedings and Defense Arguments
Detective Corey Farrell of the Los Angeles Police Department read the texts obtained from warrants on Burke's iPhone and iCloud accounts. The hearing is expected to conclude with Judge Charlaine Olmedo's decision on whether to put Burke, 21, on trial for charges of murder, sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilation of a body. Burke has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers claim he did not cause her death.
Defense attorneys highlighted that no witnesses or cameras captured Hernandez entering the house or Burke being present during the alleged timeframe. They presented other texts where Hernandez threatened to contact Burke's mother, talk to his friends, and “leak” information. Farrell testified that he saw no indication of threats to go to police or pursue legal action.
Relationship Background
The defense established that Hernandez had asked seven times to visit Burke in the days before her death, and he agreed only after she demanded it. Both sets of parents knew about the relationship, and Burke had attended church with Hernandez's family. Her parents had consented to her traveling to London with him for a week.
Farrell also testified that in their earliest conversations, when Burke was 17 and Hernandez was 11, she told him she was 16, and later claimed she was 18.
Alleged Cover-Up and Discovery
After Hernandez's phone went silent, Burke sent several messages asking where she was and expressing concern. Prosecutors allege these were sent as cover after the murder. Both sides finished questioning Farrell, the final witness, and are preparing for closing arguments.
Prosecutors allege Burke dismembered Hernandez's body in his garage. A police analyst testified that blood stains from the garage matched her DNA. Her body was found in a Tesla registered to Burke nearly five months later.
Background on D4vd
D4vd (pronounced “David”) rose to fame as a teen with a blend of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, amassing large followings on TikTok, Soundcloud, and Spotify. His top songs, including the 2022 breakthrough Romantic Homicide, have over a billion plays.
